1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to crushing equipment, and more particularly to apparatus for crushing recyclable materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An increased awareness has developed in recent years concerning the problems associated with waste materials. Both environmental and economic factors have contributed to change traditional methods of waste disposal. In particular, recycling scrap materials has become increasingly common.
Aluminum is an especially valuable material that lends itself quite readily to recycling. The common beverage can is a significant source of recyclable aluminum. It is well known to compact aluminum beverage cans in order to conserve space throughout the recycling process. Equipment and methods for compacting the cans vary from stomping with a person's foot to sophisticated coin dispensing shredders.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,446,898; 4,197,796; 4,323,009; 4,333,395; and 4,345,520 are illustrative of hand operated devices for crushing cans. The various devices of the foregoing patents operate to generally axially compress the cans. None of the crushers is entirely satisfactory. The crushers of the U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,446,898 and 4,333,395, for example, produce lateral forces as well as axial forces on the cans. It is therefore difficult to compact the cans into minimum volume. The compactor of the U.S Pat. No. 4,197,796 requires both horizontal and vertical mounting surfaces, thereby limiting the places where that compactor can be used.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,449 describes a compacting apparatus that applies a lateral force to the can midsection before the can is axially crushed. The two stage operation results in undesirable complexity and expense.
Thus, a need exists for an improved can crusher.